When Darlana Treloar lost her son Sean to a fentanyl overdose in 2016, very few people were talking about the toxic drug poisoning crisis.

含羞草研究社淚 knew I had to talk about it to warn people.含羞草研究社�

The Powell River overdose prevention site worker said the crisis has only gotten worse since her son died, but she didn含羞草研究社檛 expect the extent of its harm. Almost 1,100 people in B.C. died of toxic drug overdoses in the first half of this year, the highest number ever recorded over a six-month stretch.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 really surprised our government hasn含羞草研究社檛 given us safe supply,含羞草研究社� Treloar said, holding picture collages of Sean.

She was one of the many marking International Overdose Awareness Day (Aug. 31) at Victoria含羞草研究社檚 Centennial Square, who have mourned loved ones because of the crisis. While the group called for a number of actions, getting the government to stem deaths by providing safe drugs was their loudest call.

含羞草研究社淚f you含羞草研究社檙e not angry today about the drug poisoning crisis then you haven含羞草研究社檛 been paying attention,含羞草研究社� Jennifer Howard, a drug policy advocate with Moms Stop the Harm, told a crowd. 含羞草研究社淭he first priority must be to stop people dying, and this will include a safe supply for people who used street drugs.含羞草研究社�

Howard, who also lost her 24-year-old son Robby to an overdose, said the province isn含羞草研究社檛 listening to users, families, advocates or even its own experts amid skyrocketing rates of death that show its actions aren含羞草研究社檛 enough.

含羞草研究社淥ur loved ones matter.含羞草研究社�

Minister of Mental Health and Addictions Sheila Malcolmson on Wednesday said her government has added treatment and harm-reduction services, but the increasing toxicity of the illegal drug market has outstripped those services.

含羞草研究社淚ncreasing supports and reducing stigma is a key part of our government含羞草研究社檚 work to build a comprehensive and seamless continuum of mental health and addictions care that works for everyone. It含羞草研究社檚 also why we are decriminalizing people who use drugs,含羞草研究社� she said in a statement.

As the group marched through the middle of Victoria含羞草研究社檚 downtown streets, Terry McLean said it took her a while to believe in safe supply, but 10,000 deaths since 2016 含羞草研究社� her daughter being one of those 含羞草研究社� is proof that simply telling people to abstain from using isn含羞草研究社檛 the answer. She added that a safe supply would make communities safer for everyone, not just users left with the illegal market as their only option.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 affecting our society as a whole so something has to be done.含羞草研究社�

The stigma surrounding drug use turning fatal is something Dave Keeler knows all too well after losing his neighbour to an overdose just two weeks ago, when he didn含羞草研究社檛 even know his friend was using.

含羞草研究社淗e didn含羞草研究社檛 want to tell me that he was going downtown to score,含羞草研究社� said Keeler, a street ambassador with SOLID Outreach Society. 含羞草研究社淭hese are people含羞草研究社檚 brothers, these are people含羞草研究社檚 sisters, this could be your child. We need to stop the stigma and we need to accept people.含羞草研究社�

Today on International Overdose Awareness Day, a rally is seen marching down Johnson Street.

含羞草研究社� Victoria News (@VictoriaNews)

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